Warriors: The Darkest Season
by Pitch Black Glow
Summary: The seasons have came and past, all warm and safe. Firekit has never known any problems in her short life. Now, all that has changed. She is an apprentice, and Meadowclan is entering the darkest season yet. As they say, the longer the summer, the longer the winter, and this might just be the longest one yet...


**Warriors: The Darkest Season**

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_**.::Firekit::.**_

Glossy black fur, and dark sapphire eyes that look like they've seen more than the world can hold.

That's me, Firekit. Mother is always saying that I have the loveliest pelt, but I always try to deny it. There are plenty of more beautiful she cats than me.

My brothers are three moons older than me, so of course they're already apprentices. The only problem I have with them is that they look so alike that only their personality sets them apart!

I live in Meadowclan, and our camp is in a sprawling meadow surrounded by mountains. We get out to hunt by either going down the Mountain Path or through the Tunnels. I've never been outside the Nursery before, so all I've seen and heard of are the things my brothers bring and tell me, like flowers, prey and stories.

"Firekit? Your brothers are here!" Shadeblossom mewed. Shadeblossom is the other queen in the Nursery, but her kits haven't been born yet. That means that when Mother is away, she takes care of me.

"Coming!" I said energetically, bouncing on my paws. I leapt away from the soft grass and flowers nest and wiggled my haunches. Then with a growl, I pounced.

Suddenly, a strong grip caught me at my scruff and Jaypaw glared at me.

"When Shadeblossom says that your brothers are here, it does _not_ mean that you pounce on them."

I smothered a giggle. Jaypaw rolled his eyes playfully and dropped a bundle of flowers and grasses by my paws. "Here, bring me your old bedding. I might as well change them while-

"Where's my little Firey-kit~?" A sing-song voice rose from behind Jaypaw and my white pelted brother sidestepped quickly, just in time for my other brother, Tigerpaw, to crash land into the earth. I gasped for air, unable to hold in my giggle and laughed.

"Your little Firey-kit is right here, who you would see if your wouldn't be staring at her paws right now." I said mockingly, and the golden brown tom growled.

"Jay_paw_!" He shouted, and dropped the mouse in his tail to chase his white furred brother.

Just as I was about to shake my head, Shadeblossom laid her tail on my shoulder.

"Toms will be toms," the larger black she cat said. Her green eyes stared at me with absolute certainty. "I promise."

The way her stare broke out in a playful, wide grin made me giggle again. "What else would they be?" I responded, not really paying attention. Jaypaw had tackled Tigerpaw to the ground, his white tail wrapped around his throat. "I got you!" He crowed, triumphant.

"Ahh, the little jay bird's strangling me!" Tigerpaw said in a high-pitched voice, and Shadeblossom was there, smacking both of them with her tail.

"You two have to grow up," she said menacingly, and they immediately jumped to their paws, looked at each other and said, "Yes mam!"

I groaned, picking up the mouse. "Excuse me." I said, and trotted away to eat in peace: which wasn't for long, because Mother had just came in, shushing Jaypaw and Tigerpaw out.

Her white fur stood out in stark contrast against mine, but her kind dark sapphire eyes mirrored my own. Jaypaw had gained her unusual fur while Tigerpaw had taken after Father's. He wasn't with us anymore and I never knew him, but I was sure he was an amazing warrior.

"Hi Mother!" I said happily. Snowheart's warm voice responded with a lick on my ear. "Hello, Firekit." Her eyes zeroed in suddenly in my mussed up fur from no grooming.

"Firekit! Clean yourself up. You're becoming an apprentice today, and you must look your best."

I gasped, the mouse uneaten and forgotten.

"To who?"

"Someone in Meadowclan," Mother replied innocently, and I growled in frustration. Then her gaze softened. "Come here, I'll help you smooth down your fur."

I harrumphed, annoyed, but Mother just smiled and began to lick the fur down so it was flat against my back. At least it wasn't for long.

Suddenly, I heard Foxstar calling from the Red Tree, the clan meeting place.. "All those old enough to venture into the mountains gather beneath the Red Tree for a clan meeting!"

Mother gave me an approving nod and nudged me on. Slightly nervous, I inched outside.

The moment I set paw in the camp, I was struck by the warmth on my fur. It was like the nights when it was bitterly cold outside and drafts came in the Nursery. Mother had came to sleep with me and her thick fur warmed my body.

But this was warmer. I sighed in bliss but there were other things that captured my attention.

The Red Tree was a gigantic tree, the only one of its kind. I heard stories from Mapleleaf that her parents had named her after the tree, with its beautiful red leaves that quivered in the wind.

The camp itself was also truly beautiful, I thought as I padded closer to the Red Tree. Lush grasses waved in the wind and flowers grew plentifully in the meadow our clan was named after.

Shaking my head, I bounded closer to the Red Tree where Foxstar was waiting. I would have plenty of time to explore later.

Under the blinking shadows of the leaves, Foxstar was perched nimbly on a branch.

"Cats of Meadowclan, as you all know, it is truly exciting for one to leave the safeties of the Nursery and truly become one with the clan," the russet colored she cat mewed.

Murmurs of agreement rose form around me as I gazed up at the Red Tree, near the front.

"So now I command, Firekit, please step forwards."

I trembled as my paws brought me sluggishly to the front. It was frightening; I didn't have anyone besides me like my brothers had when they were apprenticed. The emerald green gaze of Foxstar bore down into me as she continued the traditional ceremony.

"Firekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Firepaw. Your mentor will be Braveheart." I heard gasps around me, but I didn't understand. Wasn't Braveheart one of the most respected warriors in the clan since he had saved the clan from a family of foxes?

Foxstar waited until the clan's voices were dulled to a slow, harsh whisper.

"I hope Braveheart will pass down all that he knows on to you. He was a courageous warrior who would do anything to defend his clan."

At this point, I heard a snort from behind me. My fur bristled. How dare they insult one of the best warriors in the clan?

I ignored them as the cat continued, and Foxstar nodded to Braveheart.

As he stepped closer, I let out a low gasp.

The tom was black furred, and everything other than his face looked fine. But one of his blue eyes had been violently slashed out, and now his right eye stared straight at me, as if it saw all the way to the deep pits of my soul.

I shuddered as my new mentor stepped closer. But still, he _was _brave. I couldn't deny that.

Braveheart padded up to me in such a free-hearted stride that I almost believed that my clanmates' fear was false.

But as he bent down to touch his nose to my shoulder, a dry whisper sounded in my ear.

"Make one mistake in _this _clan and you'll end up like me."

Braveheart jerked his nose back once he tapped it lightly on my shoulder and spun around, heading into the forest as the ceremony dissolved.

Only then had I realized that I hadn't even seen what my clan was made up of yet. My blue eyes were still focused on the place where my mentor had been, and my paws frozen. If my eyes could truly see more than the world could hold, then I would have to start by finding out the secret of my clan.

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**The idea for this more or less came from my imagination. **

**Well, I'll let someone else do the honors. Please come up, Jaypaw.**

**Jaypaw: What do you want _now?_**

**Oh please, I didn't do _anything _to you before. And all you need to say is the regular stuff.  
**

**Jaypaw: Sigh. Well, here's what Autumn wants me to say: 'Disclaimer: Autumn's Pen does not own Warriors, but she owns Meadowclan and all it's characters, save for some names.'**

**_And_?**

**Jaypaw: 'Review please!' **

**Thanks. And now, you all heard what he said, didn't you? **


End file.
